Electro-optical or electrokinetic display systems are information displays that form visible images using one or more of electrophoresis, electro-convection, electrochemical interaction and/or other electrokinetic phenomena. Those display systems may have a plurality of states, including a transparent (or clear) state and a colored (or dark) state. For example, electro-optical display systems that use electrophoretic phenomena to translate or move colorant particles may collect those particles at least substantially out of the viewing area of the display system to create a transparent state. The colorant particles also may be spread across the viewing area of the display to create a colored state.